Proximity controlled automatic cigarette lighter and the like



HIRQYASU KOIZUMI 3,372,306

March 5, 1968 PROXIMITY CONTROLLED AUTOMATIC CIGARETTE LIGHTER ANDTHHLIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 14, 1965 INVENTOR.

HIROYASU KOIZUMI a) KARL RA 7/ A TFO? IVE) March 5, 1968 HIROYASUKOIZUMI 3,372,306

PROXIMITY CONTROLLED AUTOMATIC CIGARETTE LIGHTER AND THE LIKE FiledSept. 14, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 22 I v p4 I H I I" 320 INVENTOR. 5o

ZIROYASU KOIZUMI mm; ear ATTORNEY HIROYASU KOIZUMI 3,372,306

March 5, 1968 PBOXIMITY CONTROLLED AUTOMATIC CIGARETTE LIGHTER AN!) THLIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 14 1965 INVENTOR.

QISOYASU KOIZUMI" IVA RL RAT/r A fro NE Y United States Patent Ofiice3,372,306 PROXIMITY CGNTROLLED AUTOMATIC CIGARETTE LIGHTER AND THE LIKEHiroyasu Koizumi, Yokohama-sin, Japan, assignor to Kobayashi Shinijiro,Tokyo, Japan Filed Sept. 14, 1965, Ser. No. 487,147 Claims priority,application Japan, Sept. 15, 1964, 39/5256 1 6 Claims. (Cl. 317-85)ABSTRACT 01? THE DISCLOSURE In an electrically ignited gas fueledcigarette lighter, opening and closing of the fuel valve which connectsthe liquid reservoir with the discharge nozzle of the lighter iseffected automatically upon placing a cigarette or the like at apredetermined position close to the outlet opening of said nozzle, bymeans of an electric proximity control circuit including sensing meansinfluenced by the cigarette, to elfect 'a current change in said circuitsuitable for the the opening of said valve via a solenoid or the likecontrol device. According to one embodiment. the control circuit is inthe form of a self-running highfrequency oscillator subjected to thevarying capacity between said sensing means and the metal mass of thedevice, to start and stop the oscillation of the circuit. Alternatively,the proximity control is by means of a light beam being intercepted bythe cigarette and impinged upon a photoelectric cell forming part of thecontrol circuit. Simultaneously with the opening of the fuel valve, aheater also controlled by said circuit and disposed in the vicinity ofthe capacitative or optical sensing means may be energized to ignite thefuel jet, whereby to completely dispense with any manual operations inthe use of the lighter. Upon removal of the lighted cigarette, thecircuit returns to its normal or rest co dition ready for a renewedoperation.

The present invention relates to improvements relating to automatic gaslighters for lighting cigarettes or the like.

Conventional gas cigarette lighters are provided with manually operablemeans, such as push buttons, for initiating the gas discharge, as wellas to ignite the same by sparking, electric heating, or the likeigniting means.

A main object of the present invention is to provide an automatic gaslighter capable of initiating the gas discharge and lighting of acigarette or the like body automatically upon its being brought to aposition in close proximity of the igniting means of the lighter.

The foregoing and further objects, novel features and advantages of theinvention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of a few preferred practical embodiments, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of an electric proximity circuit suitablefor the purpose of the invention, a feature thereof being the provisionof electrostatic sensing means for detecting the presence of thecigarette or the like body to be lighted;

FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical sectional view of a first practicalembodiment of an automatic gas lighter constructed according to theinvention and embodying the circuit shown by FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an electric diagram illustrative of an alternative proximitycircuit suitable for use by the invention and embodying a photoelectricdetector as sensing means;

FIG. 4 is a schematic vertical section of a practical embodiment of theinvention, utilizing the circuit shown in FIG. 3;

3,3123% Patented Mar. 5, 1968 FIG. 5a shows a lighting circuit embodyinga heating resistor suitable for the purpose of the invention;

FIG. 5b shows a modified lighting circuit embodying a pair of dischargeelectrodes in place of the heating resistor of FIG. 5a;

FIG. 6 shows still another modified circuit suitable for use by theinvention and containing rectifier means for the operation of a lighterby commercial A.C. current; and

FIG. 7 shows an operating circuit for use by the invention including amusical box and a plurality of colored signal lamps.

Like reference numerals denote like parts in the diiferent views of thedrawings.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the numeral 11 representsa detector or sensing device made of conductive material, for instanceiron, copper or the like, and being electrically connected to oneterminal of the coil 12 and condenser 13 of a parallel-tuned resonantcircuit. The opposite end of said circuit is electrically connected,through a junction 100, to an electrode of a coupling condenser 14, theopposite electrode of which is connected to the base electrode of aninput transistor amplifier 15. Numeral 16 denotes a fixed resistor and17 and 18 represent a variable resistor and battery, respectively,resistor 17 being inserted in the ground return lead of said baseelectrode and battery 18 shunting resistor 17 in series with resisstor16. Numeral 19 denotes a biasing resistor shunted by a by-pass capacitor20 and inserted in the emitter return lead of the transistor. Thecircuit 1140, with a suitable tap point of coil 12 being connected, onthe one hand, to the source 18, and, on the other hand, to the emitterof transistor 15 via the output circuit of a power transistor 21,constitutes a conventional detector-oscillator circuit designed tonormally oscillate at a constant frequency, for instance 10 megacyclesper second.

It a foreign body having a high dielectric constant such as a cigarette,is brought to a position in close proximity of the detector 11, thecapacitance between the latter and the metal mass (ground) of the devicewill be increased, whereby to vary the capacitance of the oscillatorcircuit from the predetermined resonance value in an increasing sense,as well as to increase the by-pass or ground capacity of the circuit 12,13, in such a manner as to result in the interruption of the resonantoperation of the circuit. This altered condition acts to impress aD.C.-voltage, through the intermediary of the filter composed ofresistor 19 and condenser 20, upon the emitter electrode of transistor15, whereby a biasing current is caused to flow through the power oroutput transistor 21 electrically coupled with transistor 15. As aconsequence, the collector current of the transistor 21 will beincreased to an extent suflicient to actuate the contact 22a of relay 22electrically connected to the collector electrode of the transistor 21,whereby to operate said contact from the open position shown by fullline to its closed position shown by dotted line in the drawing.

A fuel valve-operating circuit, comprising an electromagnet 23, a safetyswitch 24, a current source 25 and the relay 22 is connected as shown tothe output circuit of the transistor 21. There is further provided alighting circuit comprising an electric heating resistor 26, the safetyswitch 24, current source 25 and relay 22 also connected to the outputof transistor 21 in the manner shown. Both said circuits will becollectively referred to hereinafter as the lighter-operating circuit ofthe device. When the contact of relay 22 is closed in theafore-described manner, the valve-operating and lighting circuits arealso closed, whereby a burner valve (not shown) and the heater 26 areenergized, as will be more fully described with reference to FIG. 2.

On the other hand, if the cigarette is removed from the vicinity ofdetector 11, the by-pass capacitance of the detector and oscillatorcircuit will be restored to its normal value so that the oscillator issubjected to the renewed oscillation to be ready for further use. At thesame time, the relay 22 is de-energized, whereby to open its contactwhich is returned to its position shown by full line in FIG. 1. In thisway, the lighter-operating circuit is de-energized and restored to itsnormal or non-operative condition.

In the aforementioned embodiment, a Hartley type oscillator circuit isshown as part of the detector circuit. As will be understood, otherknown LC-oscillator circuits may be readily employed for the samepurpose and with equal results.

In the practical embodiment of the invention shown by FIG, 2, numeral 27represents the casing of the lighter being in the form of a deep dish orreceptacle. A fuel reservoir 28 containing a quantity of liquefied gas,such as propane, butane or the like, is mounted within the casing 27 andprovided at its bottom with a conventional filling valve 29, the latterbeing merely indicated in the drawing. Numeral 3%} denotes aconventional burner nozzle which is slidably arranged relative to avalve body 101 fixedly mounted on top of the reservoir 28. Although notshown, the valve body includes a conventional burner valve maintained influid communication with the lower end of nozzle 39. The nozzle is urgedby a bias spring (not shown) mounted in the body 101 and positionednormally at a higher level as shown. In this manner, the

burner valve is kept in its closed position. When pressure is exertedupon the top end of the nozzle and, as a consequence, the latter islowered against the action of said spring, the burner nozzle is causedto open, whereby to establish a gas discharge from the reservoir 28through the nozzle opening 34. The detector 11 is formed into a cowlingand fixedly attached, through the intermediary of an insulator socket31, to the upper wall of the casing 27. The cowling 11 acts as aprotection against wind or drafts, after the fuel has been ignited.Numeral 32 denotes in block form the afore-described detector-oscillatorcircuit, exclusive of the detector proper 11. Relay 22 is also shown inblock form in FIG. 2. Relay magnet 23 is shaped in the form of a discand fixedly mounted on the casing 27 or fuel reservoir 28. A disc-shapedarmature 33 is arranged normally at a small distance from and inparallel to the magnet 23 with the nozzle 30 being fixedly attached tothe disc 33.

When the lighter-operating circuit is energized in the afore-describedmanner, upon closure of the contact of relay 22, the magnet disc 23 isenergized and attracts the disc 33, whereby nozzle 30 is displacedupwardly, to allow the gasified fuel to escape in the form of a jet fromthe nozzle outlet opening 34. At the same time, the lighting circuit isenergized so as to heat the element 26 for igniting the fuel jet. Inthis manner, a cigarette or the like combustible body may be lighted bymerely bringing it to a position in close proximity of detector cowling11.

Safety switch 24, FIG. I, inserted between current source 25 and thevalve-operating and lighting circuits, advantageously consists of agravity-operated switch comprising an insulating base I, a movablegravity-operated contact m pivotably mounted thereon and a stationarycontact n rigidly mounted on said base. Under normal conditions, themovable contact m depends substantially vertically so as to establish aconducting connection with the stationary contact n. Under abnormalconditions, such when the lighter is brought to an inclined position dueto any cause, the movable contact In is urged by gravity action to aposition as to be disengaged from contact n, whereby thelighter-operating circuit is disconnected from current source 25. Insuch a case, even with a foreign body occupying a position close to thedetector 11, a fuel escape from the nozzle and heating of the element 26are prevented, whereby to exclude unintentional fire hazard.

When a cigarette is lighted under normal conditions in theafore-described manner and then withdrawn from the detector 11, theoscillator circuit recovers its normal or oscillating condition, wherebythe relay 22 Will be operated to its de-energized position, or itsmovable armature 33 returned to its off-position shown by the full linein FIG. 1. The resultant dropping of the disc 33 together with nozzle 30again closes the burner valve, whereby to interrupt the gas discharge.

It will be understood that the transistor for controlling relay 22 maybe replaced by a vacuum tube, thyratron or the like. Thegravity-operated safety switch may also be replaced by any equivalentand conventional device.

In the modified circuit shown by Fig. 3, a photoelectric detector 11a isemployed in place of the capacity-sensitive detector according to FIGS.1 and 2. Detector 11a is preferably a phototransistor energized by areverse voltage in respect to its current passing direction as ajunction rectifier.

The circuit shown in FIG. 3 comprises transistors 36, 37, 41 and 44connected in cascade and following the detector or phototransistor 11a.The input transistor 36 cooperates with a temperaturesensitive variablecoupling resistor 35, in such a manner, that with a reduction of theambient temperature the resistance value is reduced correspondingly. Asa consequence, the correspondingly increased dark current of transistor36 will be shunted off the next transistor 37, whereby the latter ispractically free from any influence caused by fluctuations of theambient temperature. As will be understood, the transistor 37 acts as anamplifier. Resistors 38 and 39 are arranged as shown for controlling thecollector-emitter voltage and current of both transistors 36 and 37.Variable resistor 40 and transistor 41 are provided and arranged so asto act in the same manner as described hereinbefore in reference toitems 35 and 36, respectively.

Numeral 42 denotes a constant voltage or reference diode and 43represents a resistor arranged for controlling the collector voltage andcurrent of transistor 41. Resistors 45 and 46 are arranged for the samepurpose in connection with transistor amplifier 44.

Resistors 47 and 48 are arranged to act as voltage dividers forcontrolling the emitter voltage of transistor 44. As a current source,batteries may be used as before. According to the present embodiment,however, a com- =rnercial A.C. current source is utilized. Moreparticularly, such current, for instance volts AC, is supplied to theprimary winding of a power transformer 49 and a lower voltage, say 12volt is derived from one of the secondary windings and fed to afull-Wave bridge-type rectifier comprising four diode elements 50, 51,52 and 53. The rectified current is fed via a smoothing condenser 54 tothe detector circuit described.

Besides, current is also derived from another secondary winding oftransformer 49 and fed to a lamp 55 which serves to project a lightbeam, through lenses 61 and 62 FIG. 4, upon the photoelectric detectorelement 11a, the latter being in the form of phototransistor in theexample illustrated. An electromotive force is thus induced in thephototransistor and the generated current is amplified by transistors 37and 44, relay coil 22a similar to item 22 of FIG. 1 being connectedbetween the collector and emitter electrodes of the output transistor44. As a consequence, the relay coil 22a, being continuously energized,maintains its contact in open position, as indicated by the full line inFIG. 3. This contact is inserted in the lighter operating circuit insubstantially the same manner as described in reference to FIG. 1.

Assuming now that a cigarette is brought into the light beam between thelenses 61 and 62, whereby the light received by the phototransistor isweakened or interrupted and the relay coil 22a is de-energized, thecontact of the latter will be closed, as indicated in FIG. 3 by thedotted line. In this way, the lighter-operating circuit is activated andgaseous fuel is delivered and ignited for the lighting of the cigarette.The lighter-operating circuit may be the same as or similar to thatdescribed in reference to FIG.

As alternative photoelectric detectors, 2. CdS-element, solar cell,photoelectric cell or the like conventional photoelectric transducingdevice may be substituted for the phototransistor shown.

FIG. 4 schematically shows an automatic gas lighter constructionembodying the circuit according to FIG. 3.

In the latter, the numeral 27a represents a casing having a centralupper opening 56 covered by a hollow wind shield 57 in the form of acowling fixedly attached to the upper wall of the casing. A fuelreservoir or pressure vessel 28a is mounted, in any suitable manner, inthe casing 27a. Reservoir 28a is fitted with a filling valve and aburner valve (not shown), only the body 101a of the latter beingindicated in the drawing. A slidable nozzle 30a, similar to nozzle 30 ofFIG 2, is arranged to cooperate with the valve 101a, in the same manneras described hereinbefore. According to the present embodiment, aflexible tube 58, such as of polyvinyl chloride, is connected at its oneend with the upper end of the nozzle and extends therefrom to the centerof the opening 56, to provide a burner outlet 35a, the latter beingmounted upon the upper wall of the casing 27a in any suitable manner.

Disposed at both sides of the upper casing wall are two closed chambers59 and 60, one of which (59) houses a lamp 55 and a condensing lens 61,while the other chamber (60) houses a condensing lens 62 and thephototransistor 11a. The lighter is again actuated upon closure of thecontact of relay 22a shown in block diagram form in FIG. 4. The electricheating element 26 is mounted within the wind shield 57 and directlyabove the burner opening 35a. Numeral 32a denotes the detector circuitexclusive of the phototransistor 11a and numeral 63 represents thecurrent supply circuit comprising the elements 49-54 of FIG. 3.

Normally, a concentrated light beam is projected by the lamp 55 and lens61, an open space being provided between both chambers and 60 slightlyabove the wind shield 57 and heating element 26, with said light beampassing through said space and being impinged upon the phototransistor11a, as indicated by the arrow in the drawing. The output current of thephototransistor is applied, after suitable amplification, to the relay22a for maintaining the relay contact in its open position, in themanner described.

If a cigarette or the like body is brought close to the heating element26 and, as a consequence, the light beam emanating from the source 55and projected unto the phototransistor 11a is weakened or interrupted,the output current of the phototransistor will be correspondinglyreduced, whereby to de-energize the relay 22a and to close its contact.Upon subsequent energization of the lighteroperating circuit, anelectromagnet 23a, similar to the electromagnet 23 of FIGS. 1 and 2, isenergized, whereby to attract the free end of the valve-operating lever64, the opposite end of which is fixedly attached to the nozzle 30a. Asa consequence, the fixed end of the lever 64 together with the nozzle israised, to open the burner valve and to emit a gas jet from the nozzle.At the same time or after a short time lag, the heating circuitincluding the heating element 26 is energized so as to heat the latterto a sufiicient temperature, to ignite the gas jet and to form alighting flame. After lighting of the cigarette or the like, the latteris withdrawn by the user, whereby the circuit elements will recovertheir normal condition, to result in the automatic extinguishrnent ofthe lighter.

In FIG. 5a, a standard lighting circuit employing an electric heatingresistor 26 as lighting means is shown separately, the nature andfunction of which is readily understood from the foregoing.

According to a modification of FIG. 5a shown by FIG.

5b, a pair of discharge electrodes 26a are employed in place of theheating resistor 26. In this case, the discharge circuit includes acurrent source 25a, condenser 65, safety resistor 66 and switch 67. Whenthe switch, which may be arranged so as to function in the same manneras the relay 22 or 22a is closed, a voltage as high as 10,000 volts isinduced in a spark coil 69 which is electromagnetically coupled with aprimary coil 68, one end of which is electrically connected to thejunction between condenser 65 and resistor 66, while the opposite end ofthe coil is connected with a normally open stationary contact of theswitch 67. It will be understood that as the switch is operated from theposition shown to the last-mentioned stationary contact, ignition sparksare developed between the discharge electrodes 26a for igniting the gasjet in a manner similar as described hereinbefore.

According to a modified arrangement shown by FIG. 6, commercial A.C.current is utilized and a music box or a miniature magnetic taperecording and playback machine, shown in block form at 72., is embodiedin the lighter. Furthermore, in order to visually indicate theinitiation and termination of the lighter operation, there are provideda plurality of lamps 79 included in the operating circuit. Relay 2212similar to 22 or 22a, power supply transformer 49, detector circuit 32,and a bridge comprising rectifiers 50, 51, 52 and 53 are substantiallythe same as described hereinbefore.

A further circuit comprising four rectifier elements 74- 77, avalve-operating device 78 of the type described and a relay contact 103controlled by relay 22b acts as a lighter-operating circuit also similarto that described hereinbefore. The music box 72 or magnetic taperecorder is operated by a DC. motor 71 arranged to be fed from one ofthe secondary windings 105 of transformer 49 through a rectifier '70during closing of the relay contact 73 by the relay 22b in the mannerdescribed.

Colored lamps 79 are fed directly from the primary winding of thetransformer 49 and controlled by a switch 80 which may in turn becontrolled by relay 22b in unison with both relay contacts 73 and 103,as indicated by the dotted line in the drawing. As a consequence,initiation and termination of the operation of the lighter may beaccompanied by both musical sounds and visual signal indication.

In a still further modified lighter circuit schematically illustrated inFIG. 7, using the same reference numerals to denote like parts, thecircuit arrangement is slightly altered, with the results being,however, the same as before.

In the foregoing, the invention has been described in reference to a fewexemplary illustrative devices. It will be evident, however, thatvariations and modifications as well as the substitution of equivalentparts or circuits for those shown herein for illustration, may be madewithout departing from the broader scope and spirit of the invention asset forth in the appended claims. The specification and claims areaccordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than in arestrictive sense.

I claim:

1. In a gas lighter comprising a liquefied gas fuel reservoir, a burnernozzle having an outlet opening and an inlet, the latter being fluidallyconnected with said reservoir, a casing for mounting said reservoir andsaid nozzle, an electric heater mounted in proximity of the outletopening of said nozzle, and means for selectively closing and openingthe inlet of said nozzle, a combination of: detector means mounted onsaid casing, a detector circuit electrically connected with saiddetector means for sensing a foreign body such as cigarette when it isbrought to a position in close proximity of said detector means tothereby electrically influence said circuit, and an operating circuitelectrically connected with said detector circuit for opening the inletof said nozzle when said first circuit is influenced.

2. Gas lighter as set forth in claim 1, wherein said detector means is acapacitor means.

3. Gas lighter as set forth in claim 1, wherein said detector means iscomposed of a light source, a plurality of condensing lenses andphotoelectric conversion means, said lenses being inserted in thepassage of light beams emanating from said source and impinging uponsaid conversion means.

4. Gas lighter as set forth in claim 1, wherein said detector circuit isa capacitor-influenced, high frequency resonance oscillator circuit.

5. Gas lighter as set forth in clm'm 1, wherein said means forselectively closing and opening the outlet of said nozzle is a solenoidcircuit electro-mechanically connected with said nozzle.

6. The combination with a gas-fueled cigarette lighter and the likeincluding a liquified gas fuel reservoir, a discharge nozzle having anoutlet opening and connected to said reservoir, and control valve meansfor closing and opening said nozzle; of an electric proximity controlcircuit including sensing means disposed in the vicinity of saidopening, whereby to effect an instantaneous current change in eitherdirection in said circuit upon placing of a cigarette or the like at andwithdrawing it from a predetermined position in the vicinity of saidopening, electrically controlled actuating means to open and close saidvalve means in response to the current changes in said circuit, electricfuel igniting means also disposed in the vicinity of said opening, andfurther means to energize said igniting means by said circuitsimultaneously with the opening of said valve means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,226,250 12/ 1940 Mayer 219-260X 2,419,402 4/1947 Homrighous 219-264 X 2,482,794 9/ 1949 Peterson317-87 2,679,560 5/1954 Kunzler et a1 31787 X 3,305,701 2/1967 Remy31786 3,226,528 12/1965 Martin 219-441 RICHARD M. WOOD, PrimaryExaminer.

VOLODYMYR Y. MAYEWSKY, Examiner.

